ISSUE FOUR
What lurks in the hidden
corners of Canadian
cultural scenes?
CanCulture Magazine presents: After Dark, a look into the underbelly of arts and culture—the experimental, the overlooked, the unsung and the censored. This issue pulls back the curtain to reveal what’s lurking in the hidden corners of Canadian cultural scenes.
BROWSE THROUGH A VIRTUAL FLIPBOOK OF THE ISSUE
Front of the Book
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FRONT-OF-BOOK
The night has always been ours
Paying homage to the kin who shaped it, from the (dance) floor up
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FRONT-OF-BOOK
When the night changes
The story of ‘After Dark’s creation and how everyone is intrinsically connected to the night
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FRONT-OF-BOOK
The harm reduction kit
Your guide to safe, de-stigmatized good samaritanism
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FRONT-OF-BOOK
Our favourite spots
Toronto-based recommendations from the creative nightcrawlers among CanCulture Magazine’s 2024-25 editorial team
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FRONT-OF-BOOK
So you want to be a DJ
From turning knobs to being a snob, crossfading to women-manipulating — this guide has got you covered.
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FRONT-OF-BOOK
Notes app poetry
A look into the raw poetry and prose we bury where no other eyes can see it
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FRONT-OF-BOOK
Jelly Tones
Taking in downtown Toronto through a brand new lens
Mediums
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MEDIUM
Vogue ’til your heart’s content
A peek into Toronto’s Ballroom scene today
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MEDIUM
Reject sleep, try your local food street
The late-night food scene is creating community for the marginalized
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MEDIUM
Arts and ale
Exploring the intricate art and interiors of Toronto’s nightlife
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MEDIUM
No perfection required
Tinker Toronto embraces art for art’s sake
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MEDIUM
Fully XXX-posed
Zines are (and always have been) shaking up portrayals of sex and gender beneath the fold
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MEDIUM
Revisiting ‘Skinamarink’
A new take on a horror movie that left thousands petrified
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MEDIUM
Screens under the stars
A blast from the past: An open-air movie experience
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MEDIUM
Midnight myths and the folktales found up north
Canadians from across the country share the stories passed down among their families in the late hours of the night
Features
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FEATURE
Dancing the line: The gulf between performativity and partying with a purpose
How Toronto is returning to radical nightlife, despite the odds
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FEATURE
Toronto’s Trans techno takeover
The citywide renaissance of Trans electronica in this ultramodern day and age
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FEATURE
Synthesizing the sax
Canada’s bluesy music history and all that jazz
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FEATURE
Neo-burlesque
Local performers are reclaiming the art form’s radical roots and redefining who belongs on stage
Back of the Book
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BACK-OF-BOOK
After hours
A Trans and neurodivergent experience of nightlife
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BACK-OF-BOOK
It’s your pleasure
Your pleasure is their business at Toronto (and the world’s only) co-op sex shop
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BACK-OF-BOOK
What they’re thinking vs. what they say
A series of fictitious scenarios from the people who work the night shifts at your favourite spots
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BACK-OF-BOOK
An ode to dive bars
Celebrating the beauty of these beloved spots through lyrical prose
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BACK-OF-BOOK
The After Dark Mixtape
From raucous partying to moody introspection, these six underrated cuts from 2SLGBTQIA+ Canadian artists make the perfect soundtrack for whatever unfolds post-dusk
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BACK-OF-BOOK
CanCulture After Dark’s Games Page
Want to test your knowledge on all things Canadian or see how many “night owl” things you’ve done? Play the curated games from Issue 4